


Just Remember Who I Am

by WickedSong



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-22
Updated: 2013-02-22
Packaged: 2017-12-03 06:05:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/695028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedSong/pseuds/WickedSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, post Queen of Hearts. In an attempt to procure the one heart she cannot take by magic, Cora, with the aid of Doctor Frankenstein, revives someone long-gone from Storybrooke, his one and only mission simple - to take the heart of Emma Swan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU, three-part work that was spawned one night when I was talking to one of my dear friends on Skype. I don't want to give too much of the game away because I would like to think that the story will do that for you. All you need to know is that it takes a diverging path from mid-s2 and revives a beloved character - albeit not in the way you'd expect. It's got Gremma, it's got the Charming Family and even a confrontation or two. It has been posted on fanfiction for a little while but that's just because it's quite long and I always felt quite lazy to do the formatting here until now, sorry! Hope you all enjoy and on we go!

He jolts awake, blinks rapidly and takes a deep breath, like it's the first one he's taken for so long. His chest hurts, as if there's a physical ache inside of him, one which has just been repaired. His breathing is laboured and shallow and he's lying down somewhere. He can hear a man victoriously saying that 'it worked' while a woman thanks him and talks about some sort of deal.

He cannot think about what they mean. What happened to him?

The man, the one who spoke before he assumes, walks over to him. "And how's our patient?"

It is an unfamiliar voice.

He goes to speak but finds that he can't.

"That's fine," assures the man to the woman. "It may take a few days for his basic functions to kick in completely but this reanimation appears to have been a success." He turns to the woman. "We could do more you know? I have a brother-"

The conversation is lost as he falls into unconsciousness – but an easy one, much like sleeping, and not at all like death – to the sound of the woman rejecting whatever the other man proposed and then turning to wish him rest.

"Sleep, Huntsman, sleep."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How is he?"

Lurking behind the building that the Doctor is carrying out his 'science' in, Hook appears from the shadows to Cora, who smiles.

"Resting, but alive once more," she informs of him. "I must say," she comments, "it was an inspired idea Hook."

The pirate captain shrugs but still grins wickedly. "It was a hunch."

"Nevertheless," she praises as she keeps a quick lookout on the streets of the town, "he will prove to be a useful pawn against the Saviour. And I will finally have her heart."

Hook smirks, seeing a break in the self-assured armour that Cora usually wore. "You want her heart that badly? Why does the prospect of losing burn you so?"

She turns to him. "After all this time it's like you don't know me at all, Hook." She makes a tutting noise towards him, and goes to walk back into the building. "Won't you rest? The protection spells I put up will cloak us from anyone for quite some time."

Hook had looked to be contemplating something but is brought out of his reverie by Cora's voice. He smiles to her. "Of course. A question however." She nods. "I was just wondering how long it will take for him to be…capable of his task. So much time has been lost already. I've yet to dispose of the crocodile."

Cora smiles back at him, as if she knows a secret. "Only a few days, Hook. I trust you covered your tracks as you were supposed to."

He gives a look which expresses his mock annoyance that she would think anything less of him. "After all this time and it's like _you_ don't know _me_ at all, Cora."

She smirks at him now. Her expression is still something serene – hardly anything fazes this Queen, Hook has noticed – but also inherently evil and menacing.

"Soon," she muses, "I will have my most precious heart; that of the Saviour." Hook goes to follow her but before he can she halts him. "I do have one question for you." Like she did for him before, he nods, saying he will answer. "How did you know to revive this particular Huntsman? There are plenty in this town who would have done so for the right reward? Why is this one so special? Why go these lengths."

Hook gives his own version of a secret smile but still reveals his methods. "When I travelled with them she had nightmares of her own, calling out for someone named 'Graham', telling him to wake up." A part of him had almost empathised with her, but that had died quickly. "When we returned, I gathered all the intel I needed - including a trip she took the graveyard shortly after arriving back, before our presence was made known."

"And you are sure he will do this," Cora questions. It is rare that she would let Hook take a lead on an important mission such as this one but she was – and this again is a rarity in itself – stumped on how to take the Saviour's heart without magic and without arousing suspicion.

"You're sure you gave him the dark heart?" asks Hook, in response. When Cora nods, he assures her, "He will not hesitate."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's perhaps the weirdest alliance that the five year old within her who read fairytales can imagine but it is very real, and now twenty-eight years old, Emma finds herself startled upon realising such a fact.

Rumplestiltskin, also known as Mr. Gold, sits at a table across from Snow White and Prince Charming, her _parents_ , while Regina, also known as The Evil Queen, the woman who made it her own life's mission to ruin her mother's sits beside him.

The four are discussing the present threat of Cora and Captain Hook, both who arrived in Storybrooke via the last bean from atop the giant's beanstalk. Emma feels a pang of guilt run through her for that. She can't ascertain how trustworthy Hook would have been overall but if she hadn't left him up there, he wouldn't have taken the bean and, she feels as if it was more or less implied, the giant's life.

She and Henry sit in silence as the four throw battle plans onto the table. Mr. Gold seems most determined to rid the town of them and Emma suspects that perhaps he has the most to lose from their joint presence. Regina expresses her worry that the duo have been untraceable – and quiet – since their arrival in Storybrooke.

With a hopeful voice Henry comments, "Maybe they've given up!"

Emma wishes she could believe such a thing but she just smiles at him and ruffles his hair and gives a half-hearted, "Yeah kid, maybe that's it."

His suggestion has left the other four anxious and Emma is relieved when her cell rings out from her jacket pocket. _Thank God_ , she thinks as she takes the call to find that it's Archie on the other end.

"What's up, Archie?" she asks.

"I'm not exactly sure," he replies, sounding nervous. Emma certainly doesn't like the sound of that. "I was taking Pongo out on his evening walk, we took our usual route by the graveyard but there was something off. I don't know exactly what it was but there was some sort of disturbance."

"What time was this exactly?" Emma questions, beginning to stand, as she looks at the clock which reads ten p.m. already.

"Around seven," he admits. He quickly adds, "I had patients as soon as I arrived back at the office. I'm still here. This is the least busy I've been all day. I just thought I should call it in when I could."

She can understand that feeling. The curse being broken has caused much demand for many of the town's resources and that includes the hospital, the sheriff's office and the help of Archie, as people come to terms with the lives that have been ripped from them.

"Well thanks for calling anyway Archie. I'll definitely go check it out."

He says goodbye and she hangs up.

"Archie says there's been some sort of disturbance at the graveyard. I should go check it out." Emma says quickly before picking up her keys from the table by the door. She's almost out of the apartment when Mary Margaret – _Snow White_ , she has to keep reminding herself that that is the true name of her mother and that she is her mother in the first place – calls out to her.

"Alone? It's dark out, this could be a trap!"

"Why would Archie set up a trap?" Emma asks, bewildered.

Snow crosses her arms at her. "I'm not saying _Archie_ would, but Hook and Cora might've."

Emma shrugs. "I'm a big girl. I can look out for myself." She regrets the choice of words as soon as she says them, as a flicker of guilt crosses the faces of both Snow and David – Charming - or Charming as Snow calls him. She has the exact same problem with remembering what name to call him – and she sighs.

"I didn't mean it like-"

"We know," Charming says with a resigned sigh. He stands. "Well, I'm your deputy. I should come with you right?"

It had been sort of an automatic thing. As soon as they had returned to Storybrooke and Charming had been woken up, he had handed the sheriff's office back over to his daughter. He would still help out around the office, however, whether because he liked the job or wanted to get to know her she wasn't sure, and so he had just become her deputy by default.

"I can handle-"

"Just in case," Charming cuts in sharply. He is pleading with her and she can't find it in herself to refuse.

"Fine," she agrees. She walks over to Henry and kisses him on the forehead. "Be good for Mary Mar – I mean, Snow."

Henry nods. "I will mom."

It's still weird to hear him call her that.

Mr. Gold and Regina also take this as their cue to leave, and after an uncomfortable-looking Regina gives Henry her own hug, they do so.

Emma still isn't sure where she stands with the former mayor. She can see that she is willing to change but she still can't suddenly get over all the evil that she has done in the name of vengeance – the people she has hurt. She can't forget the lives she has ruined - including her own.

"You ready?" Charming asks and Emma nods.

"Be careful," Snow warns.

"We will, mo-Snow."

There's a moment of silence where Snow and Charming both realise what Emma was about to say. Snow only gives a small smile in appreciation while Charming looks encouraged. Emma, on the other hand, wants to tell herself off for the small show of vulnerability. It had been a reflex response, that was all.

She keeps telling herself that in the awkward silence that presents itself as she and Charming descend the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His name is The Huntsman. Or at least that's what this woman – Cora – is telling him. She explains it all to him.

He remembers most of his life before his death – being abandoned in the woods as an infant, being found by the pack of wolves who eventually became his family, and losing the majority of that family in the years that followed due to harsh winters and various attacks by other hunters. In the end it was just he and his wolf brother left and they wandered, quite content, for many years.

Until…

Well, that is the problem. That is where everything goes fuzzy. He is sure that there is something there but he cannot remember it for the life of him.

When he asks Cora if she knows how he met his end she only looks upset to have to tell him.

"Snow White," she informs him. "You were sent to kill her and she eluded you. You were murdered because of that."

He is so _enraged_ at Snow White that he does not, and this is to Cora's pleasure, ask _who_ exactly murdered him. It is the part of the plan that will hold everything together, that will intensify the darkness already present in the enchanted heart, that she specially created for this purpose and that will ensure that no humanity stops him from carving out a human heart this time.

"And this _Snow White_ ," asks The Huntsman, and Cora is delighted to hear the venom dripping off her name already. "I assume she still lives."

Cora nods. "Quite happily," she muses. Her tone is always cool and collected, ready to combat any question thrown at her. It is the only way to twist things to the way she wants. "She has her husband, her daughter, a grandson."

The Huntsman clenches his fist.

Cora smiles. "The Doctor will be in to see to your therapy now," she informs him. "And do not worry about Snow White, Huntsman, I may have a way for you to have your revenge, sooner rather than later."

She emerges from the room to find the Doctor standing outside.

"How is he?"

"Angry," Cora says, the happiness radiating from her tone. "Just as I wanted."

Frankenstein grimaces at her. "Are you sure that that is wise?" He looks unsure. "Waking the dead…it rarely has good consequences, Cora. When I revived your daughter's stable boy, he was out of control, haywire. He ripped my arm clean off without any second thought. It was as if he was an animal."

Cora holds both her arms out. "You can see that mine are both still intact and I just had a conversation with him. He is perfectly in control."

"But his heart-"

"And that is why," she tells him. "My magic tamed the unpredictable nature of your science." She sneers. "You owe me gratitude, Frankenstein. I proved just how successful your procedures can be…with the right amount of magic, of course."

Frankenstein nods but it is reluctant. Cora has heard stories about him, about how he didn't believe that magic had any more merit than science. He doesn't speak, only gestures that he should be getting to the Huntsman.

Cora lets him go, carefully watching him, hoping that he does not become a problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma slams the door of her bug shut as she surveys the scene at the graveyard. She throws one of the flashlights over to Charming, who catches it expertly.

"You take the left, I'll take the right. If you see anything, shout," she says.

He nods, though he looks hesitant to let her go on alone, and the two go in their separate directions.

Emma sighs as she trudges through the grass and the mud and checks that all the graves are still intact. From what she observes they are but she has no real way of being sure. She wonders if perhaps Archie thought he saw something, but then she wonders if too much time has passed and whoever was here covered their tracks.

She dismisses the thought. As she shines the light further and further more of the graveyard becomes illuminated. Finally she sighs. "There's nothing-" She goes to shout to Charming but is cut off when she realises which grave she is shining her light on.

All the other names in this yard are unfamiliar to her. They are people who died before she came to town, perhaps even those who died before the curse took effect. No one died under the curse, except...

From the side of her eye she notices Charming' jogging towards her and this somewhat snaps her out of her trance, staring intently at the slab of concrete in front of her, as she realises that her words trailed off which would have worried him.

He pants as he stands beside her. "You were…and then you were…I thought…"

"Sorry," replies Emma sheepishly.

He gives her a look that says it's alright. When he has his breath back he asks her why she had been shouting and she replies that she hadn't found anything.

It's then Charming notices that her flashlight still lights up the name on the stone in front of them.

"Why-"

"It's nothing," she cuts him off mid-sentence, sounding impatient. "Can we just get back to the apartment?"

"If there's something you-"

Again she is impatient with her - and this thought is still so bizarre that she can hardly comprehend the title - father, that she shakes her head and quietly says. "I don't need to talk about it."

There's a barrier that the two of them can't cross here. He is her father, he is meant to protect and to comfort her, and yet he can't as he hardly knows her. And for so long, she has been so used to protecting and comforting herself with her walls that she can't find a way to tear them down in front of him, at least not yet.

With Snow, the transition has been that bit easier because the woman is still, in part, the best friend she had grown to know in her past year. Charming is still, in part, David Nolan, the man she felt compelled to hate on her best friend's behalf.

Charming looks as if he isn't going to push the matter any further. "If you ever need to talk about it, you know that I'm here and so is your mo-Snow."

She's grateful that he doesn't push the importance of the names 'mom' and 'dad' on her so soon.

"You go ahead to the car, I'll just double check the scene quickly myself."

She knows he knows that that's not what she's going to be doing, but he just nods, as if he understands that she needs this moment to be alone.

"Remember, shout if you need me, I'll-"

"-always find me," finishes Emma. She gives a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "I guess that's what you do best, huh?"

He laughs and shrugs his shoulder. "Snow as well."

They say no more to each other as he walks towards the car, letting the light from the flashlight guide him.

Emma shines her own back on the concrete in front of her.

It was very understated, not at all showy, just a small slab of concrete to prove that he was real, that he walked this earth and that he even existed at all.

_Graham Humbert._

_Beloved friend and town sheriff._

His inscription is simple as well. Emma reflects that he probably would have liked it that way. She sighs, as some guilt wells up inside of her. She's only visited this place twice; hours after he had been laid to rest, and more recently when she and Snow had returned from the Enchanted Forest.

On the first occasion, she had stood in front of the grave, and let herself shed the tears she had refused to during the service earlier on. But then she had noticed, at the corner of her eye, the wolf they had followed the night that he died. She was sure it was that wolf anyway, with one red eye and the other black. It was just staring at her, as if she had the answers. She didn't then and she had become terrified of returning, scared she would find that same wolf watching her, almost judging her.

The second time she did have the answers and she was even more scared to visit, in case the wolf looked at her with that same expression. But the animal hadn't been there. That was a relief and as she stood there, not even aware of what his story was, or what he had remembered that night, she still felt guilt. She was supposed to be the 'Saviour' and she still couldn't save him.

There's a honk of the car horn and Emma is startled out of her reflection. While she says nothing, she smiles, a promise that she will try to visit more often.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's later that night that Emma finds herself reading the book. She hasn't done so since the curse was broken but now, as she remembers Graham, she feels that it's more important than ever that she reads his story.

Everyone else in the apartment is sleeping, Snow and Charming upstairs and Henry in her old bed. Emma now occupies the couch.

It's now, as she flicks through pages and pages of stories, stories involving her mother, her father, The Evil Queen, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, heck, everyone she's ever met in this town is in this book; she remembers that she hasn't asked Henry who Graham was. She had meant to when they had arrived back to the apartment but he had been sound asleep and she hadn't wanted to wake him.

She decides to close the book and look again in the morning when she knows, but then she hears a noise from upstairs. She stands, ready for anything, and is relieved when it's Snow.

She looks sleepy but she notices Emma's presence. "Oh, did I scare you?"

Emma shakes her head. "Of course not." But the relief is still present all over her face.

"I just needed something to drink," Snow tells her, smiling as she walks over to tap in the kitchen. "Do you want anything?" she asks quietly as she pours herself a glass of water.

Emma, book still in hand, shakes her head and walks over to one of the stools at the kitchen island.

"Why are you reading that?"

"Just…catching up, I guess," Emma lies.

Snow seems to be able to tell. "Are you sure that's all it is?"

"Yeah, why?"

Snow leans on the counter. "I was talking to Charming," she begins carefully, "and he says that you seemed quite shaken up in the graveyard earlier on. Is it because of-"

"Because of who?" interrupts Emma in a defensive tone, as if Snow will drop it.

She thinks that she should really know her better than that by now.

Snow gives a sad smile. "It's alright to still miss those who are gone, even years and years later." Hesitantly she goes to place her hands over her daughter's own and is happy when she realises she isn't pulling back from the comforting gesture. "Heaven knows how many times I still think of your grandfather."

Snow squeezes her hands and Emma feels as if it should be her offering the comfort here. But her mother wouldn't let her. "All you need to know," Snow continues, "is that The Huntsman was a hero and a good man in his own right."

Emma perks up at this. "He was _The Huntsman?_ "

Suddenly it makes sense to her. But she has to read the story to make sure.

"You didn't-"

But Snow is cut off by the flapping of pages in front of her as her daughter scours the book hungrily until she finally stops at a page with an illustration of Graham – _no, he's The Huntsman in this story_ , she realises.

Snow watches as she reads and continues to watch as Emma's face falls.

"That means it's true," she says quietly to herself as she darts her eyes to Henry, who is still sleeping soundly. "Oh my God, it's true."

"Emma, Emma, what's true?"

Snow is concerned at the sadness in Emma's eyes when the blonde lifts her head.

"I should have realised it before," she says to herself as if she's finally figured something important out. She looks up to Snow desperately. "It's true, isn't it? About Regina and his…heart," she struggles with that part. "She had it all along, didn't she?"

It's as if Snow realises what she's saying now also. "Oh Emma, oh, Emma…"

For a moment it's like they're not Snow White and her daughter, and instead they're roommates and best friends, Mary Margaret Blanchard and Emma Swan. For a moment it's like Snow is instantly transported back to the night that Graham died in Emma's arms and all the nights following. Those were the nights when Emma would try and hold it all together, but somehow all the emotions would come flooding back to her. She'd sometimes cry and Mary Margaret would hold her and assure her that it was all going to be okay.

And most of all, on those nights, Mary Margaret would feel terrible.

Because hadn't she been the one that said that opening up could be the best thing Emma could do? That the walls that kept out pain also kept out love. That if she just let them fall she would have the love; and instead she got the worst pain, the worst burn from trying.

Emma isn't crying like those nights right now but she's quiet and stoic, and Snow, in a caring gesture takes her daughter's hand and leads her to the couch. Emma doesn't shrug it off like Snow expects, and just sits there numbly processing the information. Eventually, and she doesn't know how, she drifts off into sleep, Snow holding her hand. The gesture doesn't hold off the nightmares.

_"Graham, Graham, c'mon wake up, Graham!"_

He never did.


	2. Part II

"Mom, mom, Emma, _mom!_ "

She doesn't know whether it's because she's exhausted or whether because she isn't used to the title, but it takes Emma a couple of moments to snap her eyes open at the sound of Henry's voice.

Blearily, she blinks for a couple of seconds, and rubs her eyes, smiling when Henry comes into focus in front of her. "Morning, kid," she says, with a smile, which is somewhat forced but only because she's still so tired. "How long have you been up?"

"About an hour," he admits. "Gramps said to let you sleep in a while longer."

Emma has to stop the small smile that threatens to present itself at the fact that Henry calls Charming, 'Gramps'.

"Where are they?" she asks, sleepily.

"They had to go deal with something. I'm not sure; they were kind of in a rush."

She nods and looks down, almost forgetting why she fell asleep with her clothes from the previous day still on. _Almost._ It all comes flooding back to her when Henry picks up the book. "Were you reading it last night?" he asks, sitting next to her, ignoring her previous question and she gives a slight nod in reply.

He notes where it's open but chooses not to say anything.

Thinking of other things, Emma stands up and stretches. "Did they say when they'd be back?"

Henry shakes his head.

"That's…helpful." Mulling it over for a moment she makes a quick decision. "C'mon kid, we'll go find them."

"Is that all this family does?" jokes Henry and Emma finds herself wearing a very real smile this time. And she's not sure if it's just the joke or the fact that he refers to them as a family.

They are a family and she's grown more and more accustomed to the fact, even if she is still a bit wary of the entire thing falling out from under her feet.

However, she does laugh, and then ruffles his hair and promises she'll be ready in ten minutes. "Just sit tight," she says.

Henry nods. "Sure thing." Opening the book, she sees him delve straight into a story, and watches him with a smile on her face, before remembering that she has places to go today.

And people to see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cora finds him in the darkness, staring straight ahead.

She smirks. He's perfect to do her dirty work. He's unfeeling, much more so than he would have been without his heart. He's consumed with hatred for Snow White and what he believes she took from him. He is so blinded by this that he can hardly see his thoughts straight all the way.

He hasn't asked who actually killed him, who actually took the final blow. No, he sees Snow White escaping his clutches as the greatest injustice of all. He blames her for all his bad fortune.

"Huntsman," she calls out and he responds to the name with a swift flick of his head.

"Cora," he acknowledges gruffly. "I've been waiting."

She tuts at him, as if he's a child. "Now, now, where's your gratitude?" she questions as she stands over him. "Is that any way to speak to the woman who revived you, who brought you back from the _dead?_ "

He doesn't reply. Cora continues to circle him. "That's what I also thought, Huntsman." She places a hand on his shoulder.

He looks up at her and goes to shake the hand off. "I only wish my revenge, Cora, all else is irrelevant."

"And your revenge you shall have," she assures. She uses her magic to display an image on the room walls. She looks to The Huntsman and is pleased to find that no flicker of recognition crosses his face. He does not suddenly remember and he does not hesitate in the slightest at the woman in front of him.

It has been this moment that their plan has hinged on and it is the moment that will ensure all goes well.

"Who is she?" he asks.

"The only person who stands in my way," Cora replies. "Emma Swan." There is still no hint that he recognises her face or name. "She possesses a special heart. One that cannot be taken by magic." Cora is still considerably bitter that her magic was not strong enough – as Queen of Hearts – to overcome whatever magical barrier kept her from the girl's heart but she does not mention that to him. "She is also the daughter of Snow White."

She has built up so much resentment inside him that he even emits a slight growl at the name. The heart she had specially enchanted for this purpose also plays its part in intensifying every negative feeling. No light can shine while such hatred burns.

"And what do you wish me to do?"

Cora looks quite relaxed as she stands up straight, like his next task is no big deal. "Take her heart."

The Huntsman stands. "When?"

Cora walks towards him. "Not quite yet. Soon," she promises.

Coldly, he nods. "I will not fail this time."

He walks from the room and Cora watches as he does so. "Of course you won't, Huntsman, of course you won't."

She is sure in this fact, nothing can overcome what is brewing inside him, and no magic can reverse this sort of damage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Emma finds Snow and Charming she asks them if they'll keep an eye on Henry for her for a while.

"Why? Where are you going?" questions Charming, as gives a quick high-five to his grandson once he sees him. Snow laughs at the two, happily, but then turns to her daughter.

"Is everything alright, Emma?"

She's still not completely used to people caring for her - although the concept is becoming less and less alien with each passing day - and the way they look at her; as if they'd tear down the sky just to keep her safe and happy; well, it scares her.

She nods. "Just some extra paperwork that I missed when we were gone."

Both Snow and Charming share a look as if they don't believe her but don't take the issue further.

"Just…don't do anything rash, Emma," Charming asks of her.

She looks at Henry and shakes her head. "I won't. I just…it's paperwork, right?"

Snow concedes to what she knows is a lie. "Of course."

Getting back in her car, Emma holds the wheel in hand and goes towards her next destination – not the station – but Regina's home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The former mayor answers the door with a dour expression and folds her arms. "Good morning, Sheriff. What do you-"

"Do you ever stop and think about it?"

"About what?" she inquires, taken aback by the way in which she was so swiftly interrupted.

"About Graham," Emma says quickly and quietly. His name catches in her throat and she curses herself because she can still hardly say it without seeing his face just before he collapsed.

Silence passes between them before Regina tilts her head to the side. "It was a tragedy, I will admit, but it was a heart attack, it was-"

"Cut the crap, Regina," Emma demands and it's louder than she had intended. "I know, remember? I know about the curse and about your heart vault and most of all, I know what you did to him that night."

She hadn't expected to become so _angry_ but in the here and now she's struggling not to see red. She's failing to see a lot of things clearly when she remembers his face so vividly now that she's actually thinking about it. Before she could let it fade in and out of focus, in the rare moments she let herself remember. Now it's all she can seem to think about.

"What do you want me to say, Sheriff Swan?" replies Regina. There is some hurt in her eyes but Emma wants to roll her eyes at the display. "I am trying to change, and bringing up things that I quite clearly regret does not change that."

Emma shakes her head. "Why then? Why did you do it?"

Regina steps forward. "Because I wanted to win," she hisses, "just for once. I wanted to win. And yet he chose you-"

"He chose himself!"

Regina chooses to ignore Emma. "I had to keep the curse in place and he was threatening that." Regina steps backwards now. "What do you wish me to do? Apologise? Offer more condolences? Because none of that brings him back."

"No it doesn't," Emma admits, and she can see clearly once more. She realises there is nothing she can do to Regina. She's obliged by Henry to keep this woman safe, this woman who ruined their lives. She's still her son's mother and while she can't say she fully understands his desire to keep her safe, she loves him enough to abide by his wishes.

"But," Emma calls to her just as she turns to go back into her home, "you can redeem yourself, Regina, and you can help as many people as you want but his blood is always going to be on your hands." Frustrated, Emma can't decide what she wants to say exactly because what else is there to say. And what else can she do?

As much as she would love to arrest the woman on the spot, serve some justice, they need her to defeat Cora. And then Emma has to also consider Henry and how he would feel about it.

Emma sees the flicker of guilt in Regina's expression, as the words sink in, but Emma offers no sympathy for it or any other words. There is simply nothing else she wishes to say to her.

The sympathies, and the comfort; they're something that's not reserved for her. It should be reserved for her victims and the people whose lives she took from them. It should be reserved for Graham but he's not around to gain it, and that is the biggest tragedy.

As Emma climbs into her car she sighs, and rests her head against the wheel for a moment of respite. Her eyes fill with tears and she wipes them discreetly, even if there's nobody around, before she starts the engine and heads off to meet her parents and Henry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her parents rush to her as soon as she arrives at the town hall where a meeting is taking place, speaking about the current threat that Hook and Cora present. Many of the citizens have the same concerns; that they've been suspiciously quiet.

Some want to leave for the Enchanted Forest as soon as they can and try to rebuild their world and homes away from the threat while others are more ready to stand up and fight.

While Snow and Charming are the leaders, Emma is the 'Saviour' and somehow, at least to a fair few of those who reside in Storybrooke, that trumps them. For the most part she leaves the serious decisions to the pair as she figures they have far more experience than she ever could, but they encourage her to at least try.

She isn't sure if she hates or loves the challenge presented to her.

"Emma," Snow's tone is low and she takes her daughter's arm, "we need to talk to you." She casts a furtive look to Charming who nods to his wife and then a pained look to his daughter, as if he can barely bear to look at her.

"W-what's going on? Where's…"

Her eyes search the crowd but Charming stops her quickly, knowing her fear. "Henry's fine," she assures. "Archie and Ruby said they would keep an eye on him and so did Belle."

Emma tries to breathe a sigh of relief and then quickly closes her eyes. Upon opening them again she looks at her parents, her look intended to be demanding.

"Then what is it?"

"Emma, you might need to sit down," Charming tells her. He takes her arm and gently leads her to the bench outside of the town hall. Snow sits on one side of her while Charming sits on the other.

If their faces hadn't been so serious, Emma might have laughed a little at the way they went straight into 'parent' mode around her.

"It's about…The Huntsman."

"His name was _Graham,_ " she quickly corrects. She remembers that isn't exactly the truth but she lets it go. It's obviously not the point. "What about him?" She figures they want to talk to her about the events of the previous night where the true circumstances surrounding his untimely death had finally pieced together in her mind.

"Grumpy was surveying some old building sites late last night. He found one that was disused and abandoned." Snow sits closer to Emma. "He says he saw him, _alive._ "

Emma shakes her head repeatedly, over and over and over again. She mutters 'no' to herself over and over and over again. She even pinches herself and then tells Snow and Charming to do the same to her, to prove to her it isn't a dream.

Eventually she realises that she's not dreaming and that Snow said those words out loud, which leads her to one conclusion.

"It can't be," she says, not daring to lift her hopes. " _He_ can't be."

Snow soothes her as best as she can but finds that she fails as Emma stands abruptly and begins to pace, not caring that the townspeople are staring at her. "Grumpy is sure that it was him, Emma."

"And Grumpy could've been wrong," Emma argues. "Graham died in my _arms_ , so whatever sick joke this is you're pulling…"

It's Snow's turn to stand and she takes Emma's face in her hands, being more successful at trying to calm her down now. "Why would we lie? Why would Grumpy lie?"

Emma knows that the accusation she just made was ridiculous but it's all she can think because this whole thing is ridiculous. "But…how?"

Snow just pulls her in for a hug, and then she feels Charming's arms around them. "I don't know, I don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Did you deal with our intruder last night?" Cora asks Hook as she sweeps into the room, standing across from the pirate captain, who casually leans against the furthest wall. He walks towards her and chuckles.

"Of course. Kept him in here for a little while, gave him the glimpse and then shoved him back out. All he'll remember is seeing The Huntsman."

Cora smirks. "Well done Hook, well done. The Doctor says that he will be with us in a moment to discuss The Huntsman, as a matter of fact. Soon, the Saviour will be out of the way and Regina will come to me."

"And how do you figure this?" Hook challenges.

Cora gives a dismissive wave of her hand. "She will be forced back to her magic when more and more accusations are thrown away. Her _redemption,_ " Cora's tone is mocking, "will be all for nought, my dear captain."

Hook tilts his head, folding his arms. "You're making an awful lot of assumptions, Cora. I do hope you know what you're doing."

But before Cora can respond, the door opens and in walks Doctor Frankenstein. Cora regards him coolly.

"Our deal is complete. The Huntsman has regained not only his most basic functions, but also has somehow retained the skills he honed in his years as a hunter. It is an anomaly, one I think that was brought on by your enchanted heart." He looks directly at Cora. "Now the matter of payment…"

From her cloak, Cora produces the remains of the wardrobe ashes. Some still remained and, unlike the magic compass, did not fall into the hands of Snow White and her daughter. She hands the bottle to him. "I will no longer need them."

"I still feel as if I should warn you, Cora, this could backfire. Can I trust that I will not be responsible for such a scenario?" he asks.

Hook steps forward. "If you take those ashes and run, then perhaps, but the plan will not backfire. It is fool-proof."

Cora nods. "Why do you doubt it? I gave you what you wanted." She gestures to the ashes that he clings to desperately.

She almost smiles, that smile that knows that he will not get far with the ashes. If anything they will rebound and send him back to this world but without any memories of his previous life.

Not that that is her problem. All she needed was for him to be her willing pawn, and for that price, he was. She didn't lie, she just simply omitted selective parts of the truth about the ashes and their power.

Frankenstein nods. "Well, thank you. I will be returning to tie up some loose ends in Storybrooke. The Huntsman should be ready to leave within an hour."

Cora watches him go and Hook steps forward.

"Would you like me to deal with him?"

She shakes her head. "No, he is the last part of the plan." When Hook turns to look at her as if she's crazy, she does not return the stare. She only continues to look forward. "The Saviour should now know about his revival, and she will be wondering how, and he will tell her. And, eventually, will lead her to him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Emma had told her parents she was calm (she really wasn't)and spoken to Grumpy, who could only tell her over and over again that he was sure it was The Huntsman he had seen, and that was all he could really remember from his late night excursion, Charming sat her down with Snow and explained that he could think of only one way that anyone could be revived.

That was what brought the newly-reunited family to the hospital, where they searched down hallways and corridors, rooms and cupboards, for Doctor Whale, or as his counterpart was known, Victor Frankenstein.

Emma had felt a chill when Charming had told them that.

When Snow feels as if they have exhausted their search, she goes to Emma and tells her that they should go home and try again in the morning.

Emma agrees, thinking that Henry will be wondering where they are. She's still running on shock at that moment and needs a moment to process Grumpy's allegation. She decides that tomorrow she'll search for herself.

Or at least that's her plan until she notices Doctor Whale – _Frankenstein_ – shuffling quickly into the hospital, walking straight towards them.

Just as Emma notices however, Charming is one step ahead and already is face to face with the man.

"I think we need to talk," is all Charming says.

For a moment, he looks as if he's going to bolt but eventually he lifts his head and meets the gazes of Charming, Snow and then lastly, Emma.

"Very well."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where am I to go?" asks The Huntsman, as he walks with Cora and Hook on either side of him. "How am I to find this Emma? And where am I to find you when I obtain her heart?"

Cora smiles and nods to the path that leads into Storybrooke. "Follow that path. And you will know where to go next. You already have an idea, I can see it."

His eyes are glazed over and focused. He nods. "Yes." In his mind's eye he sees a building, full of all the strange new inventions of this land. It's his heart that tells him that he must go there, that his revival will make sense if only he gets there. And, as Cora implies, his mission will be complete there.

"As for where we'll be. We will make contact," Cora replies. "Oh and Huntsman? Do not let anyone else see you. It is imperative that they don't."

The Huntsman sneers. "You mock me, Cora but I will not fail this time."

"You better not," Hook warns.

The Huntsman sneers once more, this time directed at the pirate captain and then he leaves, as the pair watch him from atop a hill where they can see the whole of Storybrooke.


	3. Part III

Whale remains tight-lipped, even with the glares of the trio bearing down on him. His hands are tightly clasped together and rest atop a table, and he looks calm and collected.

Charming is the first to speak. "You're the only man who can bring back the dead," is all he says.

Whale nods carefully. "And what of it?"

Emma still remains silent as Snow sits down opposite the man and Charming stands beside her. "You know why we're talking to you, don't you?"

This is when the first glimpse of nervousness slips into Whale's expression. Emma realises Snow and Charming wouldn't have noticed but she did. Yet she still bides her time because all that's running through her mind right now is _'alive, he might be alive, alive'._

It's such a childish hope that she continues to refuse to give into. It's like something out of a…

Like out of a fairytale.

And if Emma Swan didn't believe in fairytales when she blew out that candle on her twenty-eighth birthday, she certainly does now. She's the daughter of two characters, how could she not?

And so that part that now believes wants so badly for it to be true until she remembers the pain that accompanied the resounding crash of her walls falling.

At that moment she isn't sure what she wants.

When she rejoins the conversation Whale is smirking, looking up to Charming. "You're still not my Prince. I still have no reason to tell you _anything."_

Charming bangs his fist on the table, startling Emma, Snow and Whale.

Snow rests her hand on Charming's arm. He looks at Whale. "This is important," he stresses. "You can either tell us what you know or spend time in a jail cell. Those are your choices."

Whale sits back on his chair and nervously drums his fingers on the table. Emma spots this tell-tale sign and sits on the seat that Snow has just vacated. "I'm the Sheriff, I call the shots here," she asserts, as she tries to make sense of her thoughts.

_Alive._

"But I appear to recall another Sheriff before you."

Whale smirks.

_He might be alive._

This is when Emma slams her own fist on the table and stands leaning over the surface, just resisting the urge to punch him in the face, until that smirk disappears.

"Why did you bring him back?"

_Alive._

It's then that Whale sighs, as if he's resigned himself to the fact that he must come clean. "He's not dangerous, not like the Stable Boy."

Snow and Emma look at Charming in confusion, as Whale's gaze floats over to him, but Charming states that it's a story that's irrelevant right now. Emma turns her head back to the man, her heart in her throat at the confirmation that he is truly alive – a thought she cannot wrap her head around – but with a sense of foreboding at his grave expression.

Whale continues, "Cora and Hook, they hired me to bring him back. Cora used an enchanted heart to control his more…violent tendencies but the heart is full of darkness."

Charming and Snow exchange a worried look. "Then he _is_ a danger," Snow states.

Whale shakes his head. "No, no, the heart makes him no more than Cora's servant, to do her bidding, and she only wants one thing." He nods to Emma. "Your heart."

Snow gasps and a chill rushes down Emma's spine. "She brought him back for her _heart?_ " Snow asks.

She can't help but feel an odd sense of déjà vu, mixed with deep concern that her daughter is such a target.

"He is completely devoid of mercy or loyalty. He has no memories of his life here or the time he spent under Regina's control." Emma winces at that phrase, having only just realised what the extent of that control was. She believes he will gain her heart without the same complications that arose when he tried to take yours."

"Where is he now?"

"Daniel went to the stables…" Charming begins but Whale laughs and shakes his head.

"Oh no, oh no, you do not understand the significance of the stables, do you, _Charming?_ " he mocks. "His soul still faintly remembered his death even if he did not."

"Daniel died in the stables," Snow says quietly.

Emma shoots up as she remembers.

"The station."

"Where do you think you're going?" Snow asks, folding her arm, causing Emma to turn from the door.

Emma feels like a petulant child when she looks at her like that but she still tries to stand strong and confident. "I have to do this."

"No, we can do it together," Charming insists, also walking towards the door.

Snow follows him but Emma shakes her head.

"It's me he's looking for, not you two." She stands in front of the door, blocking their path.

"We're your parents," Snow demands.

Emma gives a sad smile and nods. "You are," and despite her almost-frown, it's the first time she's admitted it with any sort of happiness in her voice, because in truth she is happy that she has that unconditional love and affection from them, especially when she spent her entire life thinking that it never existed at all, "but that means you have to trust me; right or wrong; good or bad; you have to let me do this, alone."

"What about Henry?"

"Tell him I'll see him in a bit," she assures them. "I'll be fine. I just have to…get through to him, that's all."

"Are you ready?" Snow questions her, concern being the primary feature in her expression. She steps forward. "I was there when _he,_ " she gestures to Whale, "told you that Graham died, Emma, that there was nothing to be done. And you…you fell against me, the whole world seemed to collapse for you in a moment. Are you ready to see him again, especially if he's not really there?"

Emma resolves not to cry and instead takes a deep breath. "If I don't try…" She shakes her head. "He didn't give up on me when I came to Storybrooke, he gave me a job, gave me roots, a chance to get to know Henry and you," she's starting to lose her voice to a tidal wave of emotion but manages to hold it together. "I won't give up on him, not if there's still faith." She looks straight to Charming. "Isn't that what you say we should always have?"

He nods, reluctantly, somewhat annoyed that his words are being used against him. "Of course but-"

"Then let me do this." She's not going to take 'no' as an answer.

Snow nods, giving her seal of approval while Charming looks from his wife to his daughter in disbelief. Eventually, however, when Snow takes his hand, he also nods. "Be safe."

Emma smiles and this time, she takes her mother's hand and her father's. Snow and Charming share a smile, as if she's finally accepted them and without any more words, Emma leaves the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His back is turned to her when she gets there and her breath catches in her throat. She aims to make no noise but he still senses her presence and this is when she keeps close to the door. She's trying not to be afraid, is trying to see this man as Graham, but that's the problem.

He is everything Graham – or _The Huntsman_ \- wasn't.

He turns and once more she has to take a deep breath. His face is exactly the same, the mop of brown curls on top of his head, the beard, the lips, the eyes, the nose…She remembered everything and nothing about him until this moment.

"You are Snow White's daughter," he states in a matter-of-fact tone.

Emma stands up straight, caught slightly off guard by the all too familiar sound of his voice, the lilt in his words caused by the accent, which she had almost forgotten.

"Yes," she replies. "And you are?"

"The Huntsman," he tells her, with some sort of resentment in his tone. He begins to walk forward and Emma tries to find a way to stall him.

"What were you looking at just now?" she asks, as she feels her way away from the door and to the central part of the office, in the direction of her old desk when she was deputy. She never once takes her eyes off him; simultaneously wishing that it was a dream and that it wasn't.

He shakes his head at the strange question and looks back for a second. "That…clothing? It's so foreign…" He scrutinises the jacket further, giving Emma more time to find her footing and gain a safe distance away from him.

"You recognise it?" she wonders aloud.

He snaps back to attention when he realises she's moved and his eyes find her, standing near one of the cells. "Of course not."

But she sees that doubt in his eyes, the expression that he tried to mask.

He begins to stalk towards her, dagger drawn and she finds that she really should have thought this plan through more thoroughly.

"Really? It looked like you did."

He stops once more and sneers. "Pathetic humans, always trying to stall the inevitable. Everyone dies, why fight your fate?"

"I'm not the one holding a dagger," Emma comments, with a knowing look to his drawn weapon.

She's trying to find some sort of flicker of Graham but it's lost in a sea of darkness, a life he can't remember which has been cast aside hastily. Apart from the brief moment when she mentioned the jacket, his eyes still appear to be glazed over, his focus only on cutting out her heart.

When he begins walking again, she tries her last ditch attempt, her last way of reaching for his humanity.

_"Graham."_

He stops and Emma watches in amazement as he blinks rapidly, as if fighting against something, before he looks at the dagger and then to her. "E…E…Emma?" He looks as if he's about to fall down. "W…Where am I? W…What…?"

Emma feels her heart speed up as she realises that it worked. That somehow the simple importance of his name got through to him.

"You remember?"

"R…Remember?"

"You have to remember, Graham."

But the moment is lost as whatever darkness surrounds his heart takes over once more. His grip on the dagger tightens and his eyes glaze over once more.

So Emma tries again. "Graham."

There is it again; the rapid blinking, the shocked expression at the sight of the dagger in his hand and then panic takes place all over his features.

"Graham," Emma tries to reassure him, as she takes a small step forward. "Graham, it's me, _Emma._ "

"I'm a monster, Emma, run." This time his voice is forceful and he sounds much more in control of the situation. But the broken man still lies behind the words and she shakes her head.

"No, you're not."

"My heart…"

Emma feels like they've had this conversation before. "You have a heart, a _good_ heart."

This is her way of reaching out to him before the darkness takes control once more.

"Cora's using me," he says desperately. "To take _your_ heart this time. You're not safe." He cries out in some sort of pain and Emma winces.

"What is it?"

He looks up at her and takes a step forward and in this moment he drops the dagger to the ground, clutching at his chest.

"It's my heart, Emma, it's fighting me. Go!"

"I'm not leaving you here."

"But the pain…"

_"Fight it."_

Emma steps forward and kicks the dagger out of his reach. She reaches out, hesitantly, as if expecting him to disappear as soon as she touches him, and takes one of his hands, placing it over his heart.

"You're Graham Humbert," she tells him, trying to take his mind off of the pain. "You were the Sheriff; loved by everyone in town."

Their eyes meet and she averts her gaze.

All the while memories are flitting across the surface of his mind, as he recalls the first time he met the woman in front of him.

_"I think you should stay the night."_

_"That's kind of forward."_

_He had laughed at the misunderstanding, hadn't he?_

_Yes he'd laughed._

_Because she had a spark in her that he'd never seen in anyone else in this town._

"You'd bring me bearclaws and tell corny jokes and-"

_"Some clichés are true."_

"That jacket…the jacket…you wore it every single day and I still keep it there, just because…" She shakes her head. "Am I getting through to you at all?"

_He remembers a searing pain in his chest but nothing afterwards, only the faint sound of a woman crying and screaming for him to wake up._

He nods. "I…I…"

"You what?"

She knows this next feeling all too well, as he looks at her like she's the most precious thing in the world, like the only thing that exists is this next moment. And she's scared once more, she wants to run and she wants to hide. The looks keeps her rooted to the spot and then, before she knows it, she's leaning in too and their lips touch. It's no more than a peck but a pulse of magic washes over them, a ripple in the air that does not go undetected by those in and around the town.

When Emma pulls herself away she finds she still has his hand in her own and that it's still placed to his chest, right over his heart. He pulls away startled and that is when every moment swims into sharp focus for him.

_He was The Huntsman. Left in the woods by the mother and father that bore him, he was raised by the wolves in the wilderness. He was feared, even hated, by other humans, and the feeling was mutual. All until he met Snow White. She was too kind, too pure-hearted, to be afforded the fate that The Evil Queen wished for her. So he let her go._

_He was dubbed 'The Heartless Huntsman' for so long; the Queen was in possession of his heart, the price he had to pay for his act of mercy. He worked for her and was forced to do her bidding. All Regina had to do was squeeze._

_And then the curse hit. And for twenty-eight years he was Graham Humbert, the Sheriff of the sleepy town of Storybrooke. He solved minor crimes and patrolled the streets, and was the dirty little secret of the mayor. It was the only life he had ever really known, days, months, years all melded into one so he was never quite sure how long it had gone on._

_Until Emma Swan rolled into town with her yellow bug and changed everything, changed him. The clock began to move once more, time didn't seem as frozen as it had before. It was exciting._

_When he began defying Regina, it felt so wrong that it had to be right. And falling for Emma…he remembers thinking that was magic in itself. For twenty-eight years he had felt so empty and suddenly he didn't._

_He had been alone, so, so alone, so cut off from feeling for anybody and anything and finally he wasn't. Finally he had his heart. Even if it was only for a moment, it was his moment of joy, his happy ending._

He looks up at her from where he leans on one of the desks, breathing heavily. She's silent until finally he looks up at her. "I…I remember."

Emma feels as if they've had this conversation before, but only now does she fully understand the gravity of his words the night that he died. Only now does she know what he remembered – and the price he paid for it.

Yet she still has to ask and she still, still has to remind herself that this is real, this is happening. She isn't imagining him, he's back. "You remember what?" Her voice trembles slightly.

This time, however, he walks forward, and takes her hand. It's a deviance from the last time but one she welcomes, even with how terrified she is that it's all going to be over far too soon – like last time. His hand is shaking but he still manages to take hers and place it over his heart.

"The darkness…it's gone." A tear rolls down his cheek. "Thank you."

Emma believed in magic and the things it could create. She even believed Gold when he told her that she was powerful; true love incarnate. But only now does she see the far-reaching effects of such a power up close. When she looks into his eyes she sees everything she has ever wanted – and has been too scared to fight for.

She almost scoffs at the notion of love and she's even more skeptical that _true love_ is in her future. But she feels the connection with him; she feels her heart speed up. She feels dizzy and light-headed but in the best way. She feels nervous, butterflies swirling around her stomach.

She smiles and gives a small nod.

He smiles back.

They lean in, closer and closer, and Emma wants to pull away because _what if it's like the last time?_ Her walls have slowly been crumbling since she broke the curse, since she almost lost her son, since she found her family, and when their lips touch – and no one falls to the ground this time, there is no screaming for a man who will never hear her to wake up – she feels the walls continue to shatter.

Their kiss is urgent and makes up for the time lost.

When Emma pulls away she's shocked and only then does she realise what this means. "You're still here."

He laughs and nods, as if he's happy to just be alive.

Hesitantly she puts her arms around him, willing for him to stay, that he won't go away again.

It took a lot to pull her back together the last time and she isn't sure she can do that a second time.

Cora is still a threat, Hook is still a threat, Gold and Regina's loyalties still aren't clear and the town could be going straight to hell. She cares, but all she wants to do is remember this moment.

No words have to be spoken and they can figure it all out, they can deal with it later because he returned to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I initially wrote this fic I said it was one of my favourites to ever write. Both the plot and the actual writing came easy to me, there was no writer's block or shortages of inspiration involved. And that is still the case. I really hope that you all enjoyed it as much as I did and of course it was a happy ending because I would never give these two an unhappy one twice. Thanks for reading! :)


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